|
Blake
|
 |
« Reply #50 on: June 19, 2011, 07:56:11 pm » |
|
Yes, there are so many great books out there, but there never seems to be enough time to read them all.
I've found this forum to be a great place to find extremely good books that I would never have come across.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
lost in thought, not vacated the premises.
|
|
|
|
Tower
Guest
|
|
« Reply #51 on: February 28, 2012, 07:15:24 am » |
|
Just finished reading this book by Mark Hodder and one of its sequels and I'm wondering why we don't hear more about this book?
Its by far my favorite SP story, far superior to Perdido Street Station and Boneshaker in my opinion. Which I found overly bizarre and simplistic respectively.
It seems to capture the essence of the genre while still being a good book in its own right. Its the first SP book that I feel I can recommend to friends without having to first explain that its a "Steampunk" book. Its not just a good Steampunk book, its just a good book, something I haven't been able to say about most other SP literature so far.
And unlike most SP books that just use alternate history as a given, this book actually has a complete explanation for its alternate timeline, indeed the very existence of this alternative history is the central plot.
The booklist review, which does a better job than I could explaining it than I ever could :
"The usual superlatives for really clever fantasy (imaginative, mind-bending, phantasmagorical) aren’t nearly big enough for this debut novel. With this one book, Hodder has put himself on the genre map. The time is 1861; the place, London, England. The country is besieged by loups-garous (werewolves), and Spring Heeled Jack, the notorious (and possibly mythical) creature who appears out of nowhere to accost young women, is causing a bit of a ruckus. To deal with these problems, the prime minister recruits Sir Richard Francis Burton, the noted explorer, linguist, and self-promoter. With the help of his friend, the poet Algernon Swinburne, Burton wades in with both feet and uncovers a frightening conspiracy and a (potentially) world-altering technology. And that’s just the bare-bones story of this wildly inventive—another insufficient superlative—novel. Hodder has brilliantly combined various genre staples—time travel, alternate reality, steampunk—into something you’ve never quite seen before. His mid-nineteenth-century Britain features steam-driven velocipedes, rotorchairs, verbally abusive messenger parrots, a pneumatic rail system, and robotic street cleaners. The book’s supporting characters include Charles Darwin, Florence Nightingale, Francis Galton, and Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the revolutionary civil engineer (although Hodder uses them in excitingly twisted new ways). The book is incredibly ambitious, and the author pulls it off like an old pro: not only is the setting exciting and fresh, the story is thrilling and full of surprises. Hodder’s only problem now is to find a way to follow up this exhilarating debut, which will appeal not only to sf/fantasy readers but also to mystery and historical-fiction fans. --David Pitt"
|
|
|
|
« Last Edit: February 28, 2012, 09:04:23 am by Tower »
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Lady Chrystal
Immortal
 Wales
Lady Adventurer, Chronicler
|
|
« Reply #52 on: February 28, 2012, 08:41:12 am » |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
"The Chrystal? Ah, now - that would be telling."
.
|
|
|
Major Willoughby Chase
Board Moderator
Zeppelin Admiral
 United Kingdom
Awesomologist
|
|
« Reply #53 on: February 28, 2012, 10:15:29 am » |
|
I've merged the two threads  |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Lady Chrystal
Immortal
Wales
Lady Adventurer, Chronicler
|
|
« Reply #54 on: February 28, 2012, 10:45:15 am » |
|
Thank you, Major.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Capt. Dirigible
Rogue Ætherlord
United Kingdom
Shirts?.....I got plenty at 'ome.
|
|
« Reply #55 on: February 28, 2012, 11:27:16 am » |
|
Tower, if you loved 'The Strange Affair of Spring-Heeled Jack' and 'The Curious Case of The Clockwork Man'...the conclusion of the trilogy, 'Expedition to the Mountains of the Moon' is gonna blow your mind!!!  I finished it a couple of weeks back and it's conclusion left me agog! I agree.. these are three of the best steampunk novels I've read. I gather Mr Hodder is planning to return to this universe with a tale set later around the time of WWI but may return to earlier tales of Burton and Swinburne in the form of a collection of short stories. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
I say, Joe it's jolly frightening out here.
Nonsense dear boy, you should be more like me.
But look at you! You're shaking all over!
Shaking? You silly goose! I'm just doing the Watusi
|
|
|
|
Tower
Guest
|
|
« Reply #56 on: February 29, 2012, 12:04:43 am » |
|
Haven't started it yet but I'm looking forward to it.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
the gofer
Officer
 United States
where ever you are at ...THERE you are!
|
|
« Reply #57 on: March 06, 2012, 06:55:01 pm » |
|
Having read "Spring Heeled Jack" and " Clockwork Man" I couldn't resist downloading "Expedition to the mountains of the Moon" to my new Kindle. I'm really looking forward to reading it. Mark Hodder is simply one of the best writers out there! By the way...if you don't have a Kindle...GET one...it will change everything, if you are an avid (voratious) reader!!
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Wandering Scholar
|
|
« Reply #58 on: March 07, 2012, 12:52:34 am » |
|
I just picked up 'Clockwork Man' today with no knowledge of the series, how funny that a thread regarding it should surface Before I start it properly though, since I didn't realise it was part of a trilogy, should I track down 'Spring Heeled Jack' first or are they each standalone in their own right? |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
"The more I learn about the laws of science the more I want to break them." Mwa-Hah-Hah-HA! Yes, I am a Mad Scientist! Call us Sparky, Mad boys, heck call us that Bugger who lives up on the Hill, but what ever you call us We have the power of SCIENCE! Sure sometimes we hit the occasional hitch in our plans (like a mob of villagers with pitchforks) but do we let that stop us? Of course not! There is SCIENCE! to be done and there will always be SCIENCE! to do. |
|
|
|
Angus A Fitziron
|
|
« Reply #59 on: March 07, 2012, 01:13:29 am » |
|
I just picked up 'Clockwork Man' today with no knowledge of the series, how funny that a thread regarding it should surface Before I start it properly though, since I didn't realise it was part of a trilogy, should I track down 'Spring Heeled Jack' first or are they each standalone in their own right? It would probably work as a standalone but to get fully into the storyline, I would put the Clockwork Man on hold and start with Spring Heeled Jack so that you get a good understanding of the main characters. Hodder does give some brief background in each book but that is no substitute for reading them in order IMO. I have noticed some people unsure about the finale to the third book. I am with Capt. Dirigible here, it is a well thought out and intelligent denouement which I found very satisfying. Looking forward to his next 'series'. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
Airship Artificer, part-time romantik and amateur Natural Philosopher
"wee all here are much troubled with the loss of poor Thompson & Sutton"
|
|
|
|
NazT
Guest
|
|
« Reply #60 on: March 07, 2012, 12:44:29 pm » |
|
OH DID I MISS THIS THREAD!!!! *face palm* I got the first book for Christmas and am loving it (dont have much time for reading at the moment). So much so that I've had two more for my birthday a few weeks back. I cant wait for my holiday as that'll be the most time I get to read. Huzzah for the stories and in today's world Huzzah for proper paper books!!  |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Major Willoughby Chase
Board Moderator
Zeppelin Admiral
United Kingdom
Awesomologist
|
|
« Reply #61 on: March 07, 2012, 01:22:44 pm » |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Wandering Scholar
|
|
« Reply #62 on: March 08, 2012, 04:46:14 pm » |
|
It would probably work as a standalone but to get fully into the storyline, I would put the Clockwork Man on hold and start with Spring Heeled Jack so that you get a good understanding of the main characters. Hodder does give some brief background in each book but that is no substitute for reading them in order IMO. Thank you for the advice sir Off to Amazon I go. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Capt. Dirigible
Rogue Ætherlord
United Kingdom
Shirts?.....I got plenty at 'ome.
|
|
« Reply #63 on: April 14, 2012, 05:39:42 pm » |
|
Just got back from the book signing session at Forbidden Planet where the charming Mr Hodder was kind enough to sign all three of my Burton & Swinburne books (he was supposed to be only signing copies of Expedition to the Mountains of the Moon). Lovely man. Informed me that he has been contracted to write another B&S trilogy! Woo-Hoo!
Immediately before the session he did a 15 minute interview after which the interviewer said would be 'on YouTube within the hour' but I haven't been able to find it yet.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Mr Peter Harrow, Esq
|
|
« Reply #64 on: April 14, 2012, 06:25:30 pm » |
|
I would have gone but I am currently on a stag do.
Jolly good news on the new triology.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
Proudly giving the entire Asylum The Finger!
|
|
|
Capt. Dirigible
Rogue Ætherlord
United Kingdom
Shirts?.....I got plenty at 'ome.
|
|
« Reply #65 on: April 14, 2012, 07:00:07 pm » |
|
I am currently on a stag do. Unless you're mounting it's head on a wall that's a statement I'd never imagined hearing you say, Peter. Don't forget to strip the groom naked and leave him handcuffed to a lampost outside the lap dance club! |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Mr Peter Harrow, Esq
|
|
« Reply #66 on: April 14, 2012, 07:04:42 pm » |
|
Actually in this crowd a chap called Steve is the traditional victim rather than the groom, it is so much more fun.
We are doing Sheffields real ale pubs (Just left the Fat Cat and in the Kelham Island) there will be curry.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Capt. Dirigible
Rogue Ætherlord
United Kingdom
Shirts?.....I got plenty at 'ome.
|
|
« Reply #67 on: April 19, 2012, 10:30:47 am » |
|
Finally located the interview Mark Hodder gave prior to his book signing last Saturday. Mark Hodder at FP |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
HandsomeRob
Deck Hand
|
|
« Reply #68 on: April 19, 2012, 07:22:39 pm » |
|
Just got back from the book signing session at Forbidden Planet where the charming Mr Hodder was kind enough to sign all three of my Burton & Swinburne books (he was supposed to be only signing copies of Expedition to the Mountains of the Moon). Lovely man. Informed me that he has been contracted to write another B&S trilogy! Woo-Hoo!
Glad to hear of the new trilogy. I absolutely adored the first two books of the series, but the third was kind of meh. It seemed more like an exercise in rewriting "The Lake Region of Central Africa" than in actually making a novel, and the tone was way off from the first two. Plus the ending was very unsatisfying to me. So I'm happy to hear that Burton and Swinburne will be back for more. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Lachlan_MacAuslander
|
|
« Reply #69 on: May 15, 2012, 09:41:59 pm » |
|
Just picked up a copy of SHJ at Costco, of all places... Sounds like I'm in for a treat! Burton has long been one of my favorite historical characters - can't wait to see him as a Steampunk Hero!
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Rockula
|
|
« Reply #71 on: January 10, 2013, 10:56:30 pm » |
|
Captain, I've had that book on order for over a year and I've recently been advised of an approximate delivery date of 18th February. |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
The legs have fallen off my Victorian Lady...
|
|
|
|
Mr Peter Harrow, Esq
|
|
« Reply #72 on: January 10, 2013, 11:09:06 pm » |
|
Interesting premise, reminds me of Edgar Rice Burroughs meets China Meiville but in a good way. From alternate worlds to alien worlds.
An alien take on Victorian Britain. Lovely.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
Capt. Dirigible
Rogue Ætherlord
United Kingdom
Shirts?.....I got plenty at 'ome.
|
|
« Reply #73 on: January 10, 2013, 11:12:35 pm » |
|
Captain, I've had that book on order for over a year and I've recently been advised of an approximate delivery date of 18th February. Reading the Moorcock review again I get the feeling he's actually referring to Mr Hodder's actual debut novel (Spring Heeled Jack) rather than this new one... |
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
|
|
|
|
Shadow Of The Tower
|
|
« Reply #74 on: February 04, 2013, 08:30:39 am » |
|
You can get the audio version of it right now at Audible.com, its been out for a while there actually.
Its probably the next book on my listening list.
|
|
|
|
|
Logged
|
Interested in a more practical steampunk forum or want to discuss topics that are banned on Brassgoggles? Come over to my brand new alternative steampunk forum @ http://theretort.forumotion.com/ |
|
|
|
